Improvement in flexible tubing or hose



f UNITED STATES PATENT Orifice.

rTHOMAS L. REED, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT iN FLEXIBLE TUBING OR HOSE.

Specification forming part of' Letters Patent No. E03,369. dated May 2l,1870.

To ir/ZZ whom, it imag concern:

Be it known that l, Trroims L. REED, of the city and county of'Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Flexible rlubing or Hosesuch as is used for conductingilluminatinggas; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure lis a view of a piece of spiral wire coil, such as is used toprevent flexible tubing` from collapsing. Fig. 2 represents a piece ofsuch coil with the spaces between the convolutions filled with flexiblecement, which forms part of my said improvement, as a foundation forflexible tubing. Fig. 3 represents a piece of such foundation coveredwith preserved animal-intestines. Fig. 4 represents a piece of flexibletubing composed of the said foundation, the covering of animal membrane,a coating of braid, and a covering over that of indiarubber, (vulcanizedcaoutchouc.)

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

rIhe first part of my invention consists in forming a foundation forflexible tubing of a spiral wire coil with the spaces between theconvolutions of the wire filled, and the wire itself coated with anelastic varnish or cement that will produce a smooth gasway through thecoil, and protect the wire and the coverings outside ofthe same from theaction of the gas or its deposits, or from any external application.

The second part of my invention consists of a flexible tubing composedof the combination of the said wire and cement foundation, and acovering of animal-intestines, or of braid, or cloth, or india-rubber,or all combined. The wire-coil is coated and its convolutions filled bydipping or drawing it through a quantity of the cement while in a limpidstate, and afterward suspending the coil to allow the excess of materialto run offand that which is retained to dry and harden. rlhe material orvarnish or cement which Iprefer to use for this purpose is thatmentioned in the specification attached to Letters Patent No. 64,362,granted to me April 30, 1867; but I wish it understood that othervarnishes and cements may be employed, and

' asimilar effect produced. This filling and coat ing ofthe wire-coil,it will be understood,con verts the porous wire frame into an air-tighttube. It destroys the corrugated effect of the bare wire -by filling upthe spaces between the convolutions, and by so doing a smooth interiorsurface is formed,through which the gas will more freely pass when -inuse as a conductor, and from which the gas will readily escape when thetube is disconnected and not in use, and the unpleasant smell ofretained gas will be avoided, it being well understood by those who arefamiliar with the use offiexible tubing that the convolutions of thewirecoil and the loose bers of the braided or other similar coveringserve to retain a quantity of gas within the tube, even afterit has beenfor some time disconnected and left open,the effect of which is tosaturate the tube with the disagreeable smell of gas,so that after atime even a tube which is practically gas-tight becomes as offensive andobjectionable as one which is in reality pervious and leaky. Theimportance and value of the said improvement as a foundation forflexible tubing is obvious when it is considered that it is applicableto all varieties, of whatever material the outside or body is composed,and whether used for conducting air, gas, or sound. A tube of unusualflexibility can be produced upon this foundation by drawing thereon oneor more lubricated animal-intestines, the air being thus excluded `fromthe cement of the foundation, Aand the suppleness of the intestinesbeing constantly preserved, the tube thus formed is to all appearancesas flexible as the bare wire coil 5 or this cemented wire foundation maybe covered with an ordinary india-rubber tube, which will, beside theadvantages above enumerated, prevent the gas from coming in contact withand penetrating the indiarubber, thus making a non-collapsible andimpervious india-rubber tube.

Ipurpose, also, to make a flexible tubing composed of the cemented wirefoundation, covered with one or more-say three or fouranimalintestines,and the whole covered with abraid of cotton or other suitable fibrousmaterial, as shown in Fig. 4, Abeing the cement wire foundation, B theintestines, and C the fibrous braid; and this braid may simply serve asa covering, or it may be at once the cov ering and'outside finish. Ineither case I would have the outer surface of the intestine, ifpossible, free from any lubricating material, so that it Will not beabsorbed by the fibrous material to the detriment of the under layers ofintestines. This can be accomplished by drawing on the last intestineWithout being lubricated further than what may be taken from thatunderneath, so that the cotton or other fibrous braid Will be laid upona dry layer of intestine, and cannot therefore obstruct the moisturefrom those underneath next to the foundation.

I propose, also, to make the flexible tubing composed of the cementwire-foundation A, Fig. 4, an over-covering of animal-intestines B, acovering of fibrous braid,O,and draw over this an india-rubber tube,D,coating` the braid with a lubricating compound of paste and glycerineor other similar material to cause the rubber tube to slip easily overthe braid.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

l. The cement Wire foundation A, substantially as described, for use inflexible tubing or hose.

2. The combination of the said cement Wire foundation A, as described,with one or more animal-intestinesB,substantially as described, to forma iiexible gas-tight tube.

3. The combination of the cement Wire foundation with au india-rubbercovering or tube, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the cement Wire foundation A, the layer or layersof animal-intestines B, and a braided covering, C, of fibrous material,as described.

5. The combination of the cement Wire foundation A, the layer or layersof animal-intestines B, the covering` of brous material C, and anindiafrubber tube or sheath, D, substantially as described, to form aflexible gastight tubing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day ofApril, A. D. 1870.

THOMAS L. REED.

Vitnesses:

Isaac A. BROWNELL, A. L. BRADLEY.

